My Favorite Microbe (wiki)
NU Bio203 July 2014
Due: wiki posting Friday 8/8, comments on Sunday 8/10


Instructions

  1. After you have chosen a microorganism, visit the wiki website: https://bio203july2014.wikispaces.com/ you will receive an email invitation, otherwise you can request to join.
  2. Click on the left menu link “New Page” and name it with your microorganism’s name.
  3. Once on the page, click on the EDIT tab on the right upper corner. That allows you to type or insert text, figures, links to videos etc.
  4. Remember to click SAVE before exiting the page.
  5. Your edits are automatically recorded. That means that nobody else can change/edit your page without being recorded. Bottom line: while you are welcome to draw ideas from other’s pages, do not edit their pages. If there is something you want to ask or correct, use the Comment option. If somebody else edits your page, please let me know.
  6. You have several weeks to develop your wiki page. Do not leave everything to the last minute.
  7. Aspects to be covered are:
    • Name of the microorganism.
    • Characteristics: name, classification, and description. This should include all available taxonomical levels
      • For bacteria and Archaea: Gram staining (or acid fast), shape and arrangement, aerobic/anaerobic, any additional info;
      • For viruses: nucleic acid type, shape, presence of envelope (if applicable), other biochemical and morphological characteristics of interest.
      • For eukaryotes, basic body structure.A picture of the microorganism should be included.
    • If the microbe has different forms during its lifecycle, please show with a diagram.
    • Metabolic characteristics (Food source, any special ability to digest/degrade something).
    • If pathogenic, discuss reservoir, mode of transmission, prevention, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment
    • If it has an industrial or environmental role, please detail the chemical reactions /processes involved, and their importance/impact.
    • Any other information that is deemed essential/interesting.
Your wiki page is considered final from Friday 8/8 (no further changes allowed). You have until Sunday 8/10 midnight to visit three other students’ page and place thoughtful comments on them. Thoughtful means: comment on specific aspects of the content or delivery, adding additional information or giving useful feedback and/or suggestions.
Grading will be based on:
  • Timeliness
  • Content-
  • Format
  • Comments on others’ pages
See grading rubric on next page.Note on references and plagiarism: only peer-reviewed references will be accepted. If the text is suspicious, I will perform plagiarism check. So please do not copy and paste chunks of writings from websites as it is easy to find out.

GRADING RUBRIC

Poor
Good
Excellent
Maximum points
Content based on 5 aspects (see instructions)
Covers less than 3 aspects, has conceptual errors, is outdated.
Missing 1-2 aspects, is not completely up to date.
Covers all 7 aspects, it is correct, and up to date.
28
Presentation
Only uses text
Uses 2 types of content
Uses 3 or more types of content (text, pictures, video etc)
6
Feedback to others
No or irrelevant feedback provided
Provides helpful feedback with some suggestions
Provides thoughtful and insightful feedback given with clear suggestions for making significant improvements
6
References
Missing references, or not peer reviewed.
1-2 references, not clickable (not provided)
Three references, clickable (or with attached pdf), peer reviewed
6
DB posting (selection)
Not done.

Done in time.
2
Timeliness
No or late submission for original post and feedback
Late submission for either original post or feedback
Timely submission for both original post and feedback
2